Ultra-luxury living is a notion that is most often reserved for world famous cities such as Monaco, Saint-Tropez and Cannes, yet it is undeniably apt for the newest bespoke development set to transform the skyline of Melbourne, Australia. The beachside suburb of St Kilda is one of the most heritage rich places in Melbourne. The suburb has long attracted a diverse mix of individuals, both international travellers and locals alike, who are drawn to the cosmopolitan beach lifestyle that is quintessentially St Kilda. Now set to make its mark on the iconic esplanade with completion due in late 2021, Saint Moritz will become home to an exclusive group of residents fortunate enough to secure themselves an apartment or perhaps a penthouse within the extraordinary new development.
Seeing a distinct niche in the market for a ground-breaking concept of beachfront residences, luxury developer GURNERTM assembled a dream-team to bring the vision to life. Architecturally designed by Fender Katsalidis and Koichi Takada Architects, with interiors crafted by David Hicks, the brief for Saint Moritz was to challenge the existing paradigm of luxury living and bring together a host of amenities, services and experiences along with a level of design and architectural detail on a scale never-before-seen in Australia, and arguably the world.
Tim Gurner, CEO of GURNERTM explains, “I am so incredibly humbled and excited by how wholeheartedly the market understood and embraced our ambitious dream of Saint Moritz – a project that is truly irreplaceable and without a doubt a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, our team and for the purchasers”.
Saint Moritz is located on the site of the old Novotel and named after the iconic St Kilda Ice Rink which operated between 1939–1981. The three-building design of Saint Moritz consists of 133 apartments along with an unparalleled list of amenities available to the residents. The apartments offer between two to six bedrooms, each with the option for a full design customisation package that allows the purchasers to work directly with Hicks or the GURNERTM design team to create interior spaces limited only by their imagination. While the new residents will enjoy the best of the best in terms of the apartments themselves, it’s the lifestyle on offer that is truly priceless. The Saint Moritz while boasting an international style of living, has been designed to be in harmony with the surrounding natural landscape, the curves of the timeless façade inspired by the sand and waves of the bay. Continuing that connection to nature, the calming water views of St Kilda will be matched by tranquil interiors featuring a refined palette of European marbles and parquetry.
When considering a luxurious lifestyle, cuisine and culinary exploration play a key role in the ultimate satisfaction of daily life in a place like Saint Moritz. With the kitchen truly being the heart and soul of the home, it was paramount to provide the perfect environment for all skill levels in the kitchen, whether cooking for simple pleasure or creating epicurean masterpieces to a professional level. The kitchens on offer within Saint Moritz encapsulate a beautifully balanced space with European minimalism that exudes style and sophistication. Bringing together Calacatta Gold marble, timber veneer joinery and Vola tapware – the jewel in the crown of these remarkable kitchens is undoubtedly the Gaggenau appliances.
When asked why Gaggenau was specified in this development, GURNERTM explains, “Gaggenau has a history of reliability and performance and purchasers trust that the kitchens we design for them will allow them to cook and entertain as they are accustomed to. Having reputable appliances immediately builds confidence with buyers. It also demonstrates that we as a luxury developer understand the needs, and expectations of what people want in a modern kitchen.”
The 200 series appliances from Gaggenau have been designed for the culinary connoisseur. They couple functionality and versatility with elegant design for professional level cooking in the home. The various residences feature different combinations of Gaggenau appliances such as ovens, combi-steam ovens, combi-microwave ovens, Vario cooktops with gas, electric grill, or teppan yaki components, full surface induction cooktops, fully integrated dishwashers, wine climate cabinets and fully automatic espresso machines.
With Gaggenau, the appliances are designed to perform exceptionally, inspiring the private chef to create masterpieces as accomplished as those emerging from the professional kitchen. As Saint Moritz prides itself on encompassing all the lifestyle elements that people aspire to, and in a place such as St Kilda that is bursting with creative energy, Gaggenau was certainly the ideal choice for these kitchens.
Saint Moritz is setting new global benchmarks for what ultra-luxury living looks and feels like, so there is great excitement to see this development complete. There is no doubt that the influential residents that will be calling the Saint Moritz home will be enjoying their incredible lifestyle, not to mention cooking up a storm in the prestigious Gaggenau kitchens.
